"Not a bad place Lucy." Cana commented as she flopped down onto one of the couches.
-Only 70 Thousand Jewl a month. Rent paid, Deposit down. So it's all mine.-
"So this is why you picked so many jobs. You still have quite a bit of Money left over though right?" Cana asked as she rolled over and got out her cards.
-I need a better bed, more bookshelves, a desk and some rugs. Also money to afford to feed Natsu when we go on Jobs.-
Lucy scrawled absently as she thought about how she wanted everything.
Natsu won't be back for a little while. And I want to test out the bath.
-Taking a bath.- She wrote before stripping down and heading to the bathroom.
"You know you got a pretty good body. Why do you always hide behind your cloak?"
She stopped at the door to write. -When you are traveling alone, it's better not to draw attention. Don't get me wrong; I love my body, it just draws too much attention and i'm easily recognised.-
"Plus that cloak looks frekin awesome." Natsu added as he climbed in the window.
"What the hell?" Cana exclaimed.
-What is it with you walking in on me while I'm Naked?-
"Why are you always Naked?" He responded.
-I don't know why I argue with you.- Lucy wrote behind her as she headed into her bath.
"You reported to Mira?" She heard Cana ask.
"All done. Happy's taking our share home. Oh yeah, Lucy! Levy said she was coming over with a housewarming gift."
She hummed an 'Ok' loudly as she settled into the warm waters.
"Anyways, i promised Happy i'd go fishing with him. I'll see you Later Luce!"
She hummed an ok again.
A minute of relaxing later, Cana came into the bathroom, also Naked and sat in the bath as well.
"This is nice. I can see why you wanted this apartment." She sighed.
-Do you always hop into baths with other people?-
"There usually aren't many baths i can just hop into. I do like seeing the look on people's faces when I do something embarrassing to them."
-Like what happened with you and Claudia the morning before going to Helleborus town?-
"Oh, you noticed that?" Cana asked with a grin.
"I kind of snuggled up to her, and had one of my hands under her shirt. She ended up kissing me when she was half asleep."
Lucy made a surprised noise.
"Yep. when she woke up and realised, she was really embarrassed, but she wanted to try it awake. So she kissed me again."
She sighed. "It was fun, but I think I'll stick to loving my alcohol until I find a good man."
-Hey, what happened to Claudia after we left?- Lucy just remembered, also trying to change the subject. Quickly.
"She was with her parents in Helleborus town. She said we are welcome to visit her again, whether she was there or in Aster town."
-We'll have to visit her sometime.-
"Hm." Cana hummed her own agreement as she sat back.
Lucy relaxed against the tub walls and closed her eyes, basking in the comfortable silence.
"Hey Natsu?" Happy asked, looking up from the river.
"Yeah?"
"Why is Lucy always quiet?"
Natsu looked up to the tree branches between them and the sky. The sound of the river reminded him of their first night camping together.
"I don't know why, but she has this massive scar on her neck. Whatever happened wasn't good."
"Is that why she had that nightmare on the way to Aster town?"
"You saw that huh?" Natsu grimaced.
"Me and Cana weren't actually asleep when it happened." Happy set his gaze back to his fishing.
"Did you see her scars at the bathhouse?"
"No, I was too busy eating my fish."
"With the amount of pain she must have gone through, she may just be as strong as Erza."
"No one's as strong as Erza." Happy jeered.
"No, I mean Erza could easily beat Lucy in a fight. But in getting up after being pounded into the ground."
Natsu was having trouble finding the words to describe it.
"Fortitude and resilience?" Happy offered.
"I think so, yeah."
"Is that why you like her so much?"
Natsu spluttered, but he stopped and thought about what Happy just said.
"Did I tell you how we met?"
"Nope, you wanted to go on those jobs with Lucy."
"we first met when I was a Dragon."
"Hah?" Happy almost dropped his rod.
"I kind of kidnapped her, and instead of running, she stayed with me, and even used her magic to change me back."
"That's…." Happy was lost for words.
Hah. That's new.
"You mean if Lucy's here you won't need to go away as much?"
Natsu grinned at his old friend. "Yep, and I can go all out fighting and she'll be there if I start to turn."
"Don't count her out though." Happy admonished. "I saw her fight tooth and nail against those Vulcans."
"I know she's tough."
"Still a bit scary though."
"Yeah." Natsu admitted with a laugh.
He realised that was the truth, but why was he so afraid?
I'm not actually afraid of her.
"Well, Gildarts will be happy he doesn't have to deal with you going on rampages any more." Happy pointed out.
"Yeah, once he finally gets back. How long's he been gone?"
"Three years now? Or was it Two?"
"Jeze. He's always away."
Happy agreed as he reeled in a fish.
"You know If I had Lucy at my back, I could probably beat Erza."
"Hah, keep dreaming."
Lucy opened her eyes. she must have dozed off.
The evening light filtered through the open bathroom door, and Cana was gone.
She must have let me sleep.
Lucy got out of the still warm bath, still overjoyed that the furnace in her room was connected to the bath.
She dried off and put her cloths on. She still had to buy some bookshelves, a rug and her dinner.
The canal gurgled as it flowed, birds chirping their last chirps for the day, and people moseying on the sidewalk to get home.
Lucy stepped out of the apartment, waving to the landlady through the window as she walked by.
Her hood was down and her cloak was open behind her acting like a cape.
The black wing pattern of the Black aquila brand showing on her garments.
I need to go clothes shopping too. It'll be nice to have a change of cloths for well...a change.
Lucy realised how much would change now that she had a place all of her own to live.
I can have a bath every day, I'll have a proper toilet, I won't have to store all my books with horologium, I have my very own bed, I have my own kitchen to cook in, I can start writing again…
She tried to think of more, but she was already overjoyed at what she could now do.
Lucy hummed as she cruised down the street, looking out for a store she could explore.
Someone bumped into her roughly.
"Hey, watch where….."
She stepped back to glare at whoever had bumped her, but the man was already wide eyed, staring at her in abject terror.
Black hand Regan.
Her fists glowed as she squared her shoulders and took a fighting stance.
He just raised his hand, backing away.
Regan kept backing up, moving into an alleyway.
"I'm sorry, no, please don't hurt me!"
She kept one of her hands up as she got out her pen.
-Why are you here?-
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd be here, I was just doing what I was told!"
-You are a guild leader. Who tells you to do anything?-
"That boy with the claws, the Salamander kid! He told me he'd keep you from beating me up if I took down all the job requests for your kidnapping! Please, I did what you asked, just don't hurt me again!"
Lucy stared at him.
Natsu did that?
-You really did that?-
"Yes!" He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small stack of papers, tossing them lightly at her feet.
All of them had a picture of her from when she was younger.
Wanted Alive- Lucy Heartfilia. 5,000,000 Jewl reward for her capture and Delivery to the heartfilia Estate. She read the notice again.
There had to be almost thirty posters here.
She screwed one up and stuffed it in her pocket and tore the rest of them up.
-Thank you. You'll never see me again.- She wrote as she turned and walked out of the alley.
Natsu really did that for me? we had only just met at that point.
She shrugged her cloak back around her and put her hood up as she thought.
If he trusted her, then maybe she could trust him with….
Lucy had another thing to add to her shopping list now.
Levy stood quietly around the corner as Lucy left the alleyway.
She clutched the book, lucy's housewarming gift- to her chest tightly.
Than the mean looking man left the alley too.
He looked shaken up and afraid.
"Are you ok?" She asked the man.
He was silent for a moment. "I'm fine." He stated gruffly.
"What happened with you two in there?" Levy asked innocently.
"That girl is nuts. Along with her psycho boyfriend. I need to go."
He hurried off.
So what do I know from that? This guy is afraid of Natsu and especially Lucy. Lucy has a kidnapping request and Natsu told the guy, threatened more likely, to take the requests down.
She walked down the alleyway to see the posters that the dark man had dropped and Lucy had ripped.
With the two halves together she saw and read the whole notice.
A reward this high! No wonder she wears the cloak, it makes a great disguise. And a kidnapping request means dark guild.
She smiled to herself.
Clever Natsu, that was a stroke of genius to make a dark guild member take down the requests in other dark guilds..
Levy neatly folded up the torn notice and slipped it into her pockets, turned and hurried to catch up to Lucy.
I shouldn't leave her alone, and maybe I can learn something more about her.
I'll need to tell master Makarov later.
Levy huffed in annoyance.
Usually I love mysteries, but not when my own friend's safety is in the balance.
Levy half turned and wrote 'Fire' in the air with her light pen.
The word lit blazed with flames and streaked towards the posters, engulfing them.
"Lucy!"
She heard her name and turned.
Levy was running towards her, a book in her arms which she presented to Lucy when she halted in front of her.
"Congratulations on the new apartment!" She said with a smile.
She took the book with one hand while writing with the other. -Thanks Levy. It's great to finally have my own place.-
"Cana told me you fell asleep in the bath."
Lucy blushed a little. -It's a luxury that I am loving. I'm used to smelling bad.-
"Not many bathhouses on the road?"
-Few and far between. I haven't had the opportunity to settle down properly before.-
"Our nomad's finally found a home?" Levy giggled.
She sighed. -Not a nomad by choice, but I decided this is where I'll stay.-
"Running from something?"
Lucy glanced at Levy walking beside her.
-You are very sharp, you know that?-
She just smiled sheepishly, waving her hands in an apologetic gesture. "Sorry, sorry, I don't mean to pry, I'm just curious."
-I'm sorry too. I don't mean to be so closed off. Just...Bad experiences.-
Lucy shook her head and continued writing.
-I'm trying to get away from my old home. And my father.-
She hesitated, her hand over the crumpled paper in her pocket.
Levy's eyes shone with something. It was so similar to Cana's look in the bathhouse, and Natsu's eyes whenever he looked at her.
Lucy slowly drew the piece of crumpled paper out of her pocket and unfurled it to give to Levy, who looked at it surprised.
"With this reward, they must really want you back. You must have had a good reason to leave."
Lucy pulled down her cloak to show Levy her neck.
On it sat a hideous scar. It looked old, but it was still lumpy, pink and raw.
And it was big. Very big.
Levy could feel her eyes widening.
-I Almost died from it.-
"Well, I suppose all the fairy tale princesses have a good reason to run away."
Levy tried to joke shakily.
Lucy chuckled.
She was still surprised Lucy showed her the wanted notice.
-Come on, I don't want to think about the past. I have a future to make. I need to shop around for somethings.-
Levy put a bright smile back on her face, trying to shove down her worries.
I can always think about them later.
"Master Makarov? Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Certainly Levy. What did you want to talk about?"
"Lucy." Levy stated firmly.
"Hmmm. Come into the back room and bring Cana with you. She wanted to talk too."
Lucy hummed as she walked to the guild hall. She had completed her evening of shopping with Levy, visiting the Heart Cruitz retailer for some new cloths, managing to snag a discount rug and order a new bookcase.
Not bad for a day half spent asleep in the bath.
"...re aware none of this is to leave this room?"
"Yes Master." Lucy heard Cana and Levy respond.
It was coming through one of the guild's windows.
"When I was at that charity event for orphans a while back. Cana, you were with me that day remember?"
"Yeah, that dress itched. What about it?"
"Do you recall the muscular man with the slicked back hair and the bad suit?"
"Uh. he smelled too."
"That man was a representative from the Heartfilia Konzern."
Lucy felt her blood run cold.
"They were very...shall we say insistent on getting their Daughter back. They even tried to request her retrieval by any means necessary."
"They tried to offer Fairy Tail this kidnapping request?" Levy asked disbelievingly.
"Indeed they did."
"Tch. The balls on these rich assholes." Cana spat.
"I share the sentiment, if not the language- however it does present a few issues."
She heard the old man take a deep breath in.
"Firstly, she's being hunted. Five million Jewl for a simple kidnapping would be very tempting. Even to common dark guild thugs."
Cana snorted. "If it's the same Lucy we're talking about then simple is not the word I'd use. If she can fight three bandit camps with Natsu of all people, then stare down a nest of vulcans...hmph" she snorted before the sound of liquid sloshing inside a bottle. "She won't go down to some thugs."
"I assumed as much. The problem is if any major bounty hunters or dark guilds as a whole set their sights on her."
"I'm not worried." Levy spoke confidently.
"Oh yeah?" Cana slurred. "And why's that?"
"Natsu."
"Oh right." she hiccuped.
"I agree." Makarov sighed.
What the hell does that mean?
He continued "However precautions must be taken. It may be best to convince her to go by a fake last name, and maybe find her an alias she can be known by."
"But that won't be the hard part." Levy's voice was blunt.
"Yes, keeping her safe will be the easy part. The hard part will be finding a way for the Konzern to stop pursuing her."
"Fake her death?" Cana suggested drunkenly.
"No, that risks exposing her, and they'll want to see the body too." Levy dismissed the idea.
"You are just a barrel of laughs today Blue." Cana giggled.
She heard Levy sigh. "We can't actively do anything without exposing that Lucy is here in Magnolia and is staying here."
"Mhm. Well, we will keep trying to formulate a solution in the meantime."
There was a rustle of cloth and Makarov grunted as if he was getting up.
"I shall attempt to find more information about the Konzern and why they want Lucy back so much. Cana, you have your orphan friends to do the same, and pay them well."
"Right." Cana droned.
"Levy, you are already friends with Lucy."
"She loves books like I do, how could we not?"
Lucy couldn't help but smile with the joy she heard in Levy's voice.
"She may need a friend to talk to. It doesn't matter if It's you, Natsu, or anyone else in the guild."
"Understood."
"Uh, time for me to get back to drinking.
"That implies that you stopped drinking Cana." Levy giggled.
"Remember you two. Lucy's surname does not leave this room."
Silence.
"All right. off you go you two."
"Master? What about Natsu?" Levy asked.
Makarov chuckled as the door squeaked open.
"I already talked with him."
Nothing was spoken as footsteps sounded in the room, followed by the door closing.
Lucy put her back to the wall and slid down it.
She tried to process what was happening.
Going out of their way to help me.
Why?
Just because I helped Natsu?
The determination and resolve in their voices as they talked.
She felt tears leak out of her eyes.
Lucy was happy to find people who accepted her despite what they had seen, but she was afraid.
It was like what happened to Salt all over again.
Her insides boiled with all her emotions, trying to sort them out.
She flipped up her hood and hunched under the cloak as she stood and started running.
Lucy hummed as she thought, sitting cross legged on the Ledge on top of the Magnolia clocktower.
The last bell of the day had already chimed, and now Lucy was alone.
Watching the sunset and listening to the sounds of the people below.
She always liked humming as if she was singing. It always seemed to relax her.
She regretted never taking proper singing lessons when she was younger.
Her voice rang out purely and reverberated around the bell as she sang her favorite tune, a piano piece she would hear around the Heartfilia manor when things were better.
Her voice ran through the intricate scale, rising and falling.
Lucy finished the last of the song, letting the final note fade into silence.
Tears slowly rolled from her eyes, and her nose was running, causing her to sniff.
"Something on your mind?" A gentle voice, wizened but young echoed around the bell.
She turned to see a cloaked man sitting on another ledge behind her comfortably. As if he had been there for a while.
He was even more bundled up than she was.
His cloak was ragged and very travel worn, his face completely covered except for his eyes.
A presence surrounded the man. Like the air was heavy around him.
Lucy just nodded.
His eyes just met hers.
They seemed to scour her, seeking truth or reason in every inch of her.
"Everyone has their burden to bare." He uttered quietly, looking away.
Lucy just got out her pen.
-I'm scared.-
He looked her over again.
She could see the question. The one everyone asks.
Lucy just pulled down the neck of her cloak to show her scar.
-My past is hunting me. I want to make my stand, but last time I tried to...my...friend….-
Her hand was shaking too badly to continue.
Patience was etched into his very being. If he hadn't been breathing she would have mistaken him for a statue.
She breathed deeply and evenly before she continued.
-He died. I have made friends here now, and I don't want them to end up like my old friend.-
He just simply raised his hand and pointed to her own.
"Your new friends will not be so easy to take down. Fairy Tail is not a guild of quitters. In anything."
Lucy raised her hand to look at the guild mark on the back of it.
When she looked back up he was gone.
"My name is Mystogen. Wizard of Fairy Tail." His voice echoed on the breeze.
She could only stare at where he had been sitting in shock.
Fairy Tail has someone like him in their ranks?
"Hey Luce."
"We found you!"
Natsu must had climbed up the outside of the clock tower.
He pulled himself up and over the edge to sit beside her, happy swooping around the bell.
Lucy made a disbelieving noise as she watched him.
-Are all fairy tail wizards an unhealthy mix of strong and crazy?-
"You tell me, you're a member now." Natsu replied with a shit eating grin.
She just showed him a deadpan expression as he and Happy chuckled evilly.
"What's that small?" He turned his head, sniffing. "Smells like someone else was up here."
-Yeah. He said his name was Mystogen.-
"Mystogen? He was here?" Happy sounded shocked. "He's one of Fairy Tail's S-class wizards. They say no one's seen his face except for Master Makarov."
"As strong as Erza and Laxus. Gramps send him to get me after I went on a rampage once." Natsu winced as if recalling something painful. "He took me down faster than Gildarts did. Didn't even have a bruise when I changed back. Still hurt though."
"Yeah, not like when Gildarts had to come get you. You looked like a panda when you were human again.." Happy sneered.
"Yeah, that one really hurt."
Lucy smiled, but it faded quickly with what was on her mind.
-Natsu?-
"Yeah?"
-I wanted to show you something.-
Lucy drew a Lacrama out from her cloak.
It was a deep blue colour and swirled with images .
Natsu just stared at it.
"That's it? A Lacrama?" He asked puzzled.
She looked annoyed. -Not the Lacrama itself you dummy. It's what's inside it. It's a memory Lacrama.-
He still didn't quite get it.
It must have shown on his face, because she just snatched his hand and dropped the crystalline sphere into it.
The moment it touched his hand his mind went blank and images started playing.
He saw a grizzled man with white hair laughing jokingly at him as he held a cooking knife wonkily.
"Come on lass, like I showed you."
Lass?
Natsu noticed the blond hair at the sides of his vision.
Oh! I'm in Lucy's memory, so right now, I am her! This feels weird.
He felt himself pout as she readjusted her fingers.
Also a bit freaky having his body move on it's own.
The image shifted to her walking beside him along the boardwalk of a run down looking harbor.
They were both eating a skewer of grilled seafood, and arguing about what was what.
"That was Calm for sure!"
-Nope, mollusk. Too small to be a clam.-
"Gah fine, next one." He slurped up the next item on his skewer.
-Swordfish?-
"Swordfish."
Natsu smiled with elation as she got it right.
"Hah, a thousand jewel you won't guess this un." He chuckled wickedly.
She remembered it, it was on the tip of her tongue...pen.
Natsu's eyes widened as Lucy's hand wrote
-Hah! Skate!-
Natsu/Lucy laughed as the man cursed.
-You didn't think I'd remember!-
"Aite then missy, what is skate's fish then hmm?"
-Stingray-
"Shit, you do remember."
The Image flickered again.
Lucy opening and giving presents with the white haired man.
Her undiluted joy at getting a black bandanna just like his, as well as a book on the constellations.
Her glee when he wore the ridiculously colorful cloths and enormous hat to match that she got him.
Them both laughing themselves silly after he did a goofy dance, tripping over his own feet.
Memory after memory played, Natsu reliving the happy memories of this man.
Then finally, there was one last memory.
A crowd of people watching the gallows in silence as the condemned man spoke.
Lucy/Natsu could barely see his white hair from where she was standing, but she heard every word he spoke.
"My last words? If yer hopin for somen' all philosophical and….poetic; Ya came to the wrong execution. I'm here cus I have to be."
He Laughed and continued.
"To my crew, It's been one hell of a ride. Thank you for everything. To my little girl-"
He stopped as his voice cracked, his tears spilling down his face.
Smiling all the while.
"You were my light in the dark, my guide to a new path. So keep shining. My Little Star."
Natsu/Lucy's stomach had no bottom. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was sobbing uncontrollably.
Her heart felt like it was wrenched out of her chest.
She shook as the axe man raised his weapon.
Darkness of closed eyes.
She couldn't watch.
Her body flinched as she heard a thud and a muffled thump.
Her knees gave out.
She fell to the ground and wailed her grief.
It was drowned out by the cheers of the ignorant onlookers, who only saw the death of some pirate.
Natsu felt Lucy's body fade away from around him.
The memories ending.
Natsu was having trouble processing all that he saw, all that he felt.
-Natsu.-
He smelled her fear, the light but bitter taste of insecurities.
Every muscle in her body showed her confusion and conflict.
-I'm Scared. I cared about him so much.-
"Yeah, I saw."
-He sacrificed himself for me. He died because of me. I don't want that happening to you. Or Levy, or Cana.-
"Heh, It's fine by us. we don't give up on our friends. Our comrades, our guildmates. We're family."
He knelt beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.
"We do anything for our family."
Lucy felt tears flow down her cheeks again.
Natsu shifted so he was fully hugging her.
She hugged him back as he whispered. "Let's go back to the guild hall. Your new family is waiting."
The doubts still lingered in Lucy's mind, but Natsu's comfort had given her the courage to keep moving. That was all she needed to do.
-Ok. Thanks Natsu.-
"Jeze what would you do without my shoulder to cry on?" He asked sarcastically.
-I'd grab your shoulder and cry on it anyways.-
Lucy gave a small smile as she wiped away her tears.
Lucy had to admit, she was enjoying herself.
The guildhall was still rowdy, Cana was still drinking, Natsu and Grey were butting heads, Elfman was screaming about manliness, Loke had a girl in his arms.
She realized that it did look like a family.
The siblings who were very alike butting heads, the problem children, the big sister, the over stressed parent.
Lucy had only seen other examples of other's families before, but now to be in one of her own...
It made her feel fuzzy inside.
She smiled as Levy came up to her and started gushing about the Detective Lance issue she had given her.
Cana had herself draped over Grey to prevent him fighting with Natsu, drunkenly singing about his need of cloths.
Natsu himself had lost interest and was now arm wrestling with Elfman.
Levy looked at Lucy inquisitively as she giggled.
-It's already starting to feel like home.-
The blue haired girl Hugged her with bright eyes.
As their hug broke a man came rushing in.
"Urgent Job request! Urgent Job request!"
The messenger rushed straight for Master Makarov and handed him the job request formally before he fell to his knees, exhausted.
Mirajane rushed out from behind the bar to drag him to a stool and push a mug into his hands.
The guild all gathered around the Master, waiting for his assessment.
Master made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a growl.
"A Man matching the description of Bora of the Prominence has been seen kidnapping a ship load of young women at Hargeon. He was using the alias of Salamander, claiming he was a fairy tail Wizard."
"That asshole! Lemme at him! I'll kill him for using my name to disgrace our family!" Natsu practically screamed.
Several others showed their anger in growls or filthy looks.
"Their ship is stopping by thunder cove on the way to Bosco. We have been asked to intercept this ship, and save the passengers."
Thunder cove?
-I'll take the job. Thunder cove is my home field advantage.-
Master looked her over for a long moment.
"are you sure?" he asked steadily.
"Hell yeah! Me and Lucy can take on anything!"
Lucy felt a smile tug at her lips as she penned -Absolutely.-
"Hm. Very well. You need to pick another member to go along with you though."
-Elfman!- She wrote, turning to him.
"Yes!?"
-Are you a real man?-
"Yeah I am!"
-Do real men treat women like trash? or cattle to be transported?-
"Hell no!
-Are you man enough to run for seven hours to thunder cove?-
"Hell yeah!"
-And why are we going to beat respect for Fairy Tail into every insolent bone in his body?-
"BECAUSE WE ARE REAL MEN!" Elfman roared.
"YEAH!" Natsu cried behind him.
"The mission and Team have been approved!" Master boomed from his perch on the bar.
-Team! Move out!-
Lucy started jogging out the door, both Natsu and Elfman following behind her, chanting "Real men! Real men! Real men!"
A/N: I kept you waiting...